Toy grenade in student's pickup at West High creates stir

By
JR Ortega
May 6, 2013 at 12:06 a.m.Updated May 7, 2013 at 12:07 a.m.

The Victoria Police Department and Victoria school district are investigating why a 17-year-old West High School student had a dud hand grenade in his vehicle Monday.

The student, whose name was not released, told school officials he had a "fake grenade" in his pickup truck, prompting the police department to form a perimeter around the car, said Diane Boyett, Victoria school district spokeswoman.

The school was never on lockdown, and police moved the vehicle to the baseball fields until the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrived to remove the grenade about 4 p.m., said police Sgt. Kirby Redlin.

The grenade is one that would be found in a novelty store, Redlin said, adding the grenade had no primer or explosive material.

The school district will investigate if any action will be taken against the student, Boyett said.

"When in doubt, you call it out," she said of how officials handled the report. "It's all for the safety of our students and staff."